Method of producing piezoelectric actuator

Abstract

Grooves are formed in a supporting plate around element-arrangement areas in which a plurality of piezoelectric elements are to be arranged respectively. After forming the grooves, the piezoelectric elements are formed in the element-arrangement areas respectively by making particles of a piezoelectric material to be deposited on the element-arrangement areas in an amount which is more than an amount of the particles of the piezoelectric material made to be deposited on areas formed with the grooves. Accordingly, there is provided a method of producing a piezoelectric actuator and a piezoelectric actuator which make it possible to easily form the piezoelectric elements arranged densely.

1. A method of producing a piezoelectric actuator for a liquid transporting apparatus, which is provided on one surface of a channel unit in which a liquid channel including a plurality of pressure chambers is formed, and which includes a vibration plate covering the pressure chambers; a plurality of piezoelectric elements arranged, in the vibration plate on a side opposite to the pressure chambers, to correspond to the pressure chambers respectively; and a supporting section which supports these piezoelectric elements from a side opposite to the vibration plate, the method comprising:
 a step of providing a supporting plate which forms the supporting section, and which has, on one surface thereof, element-arrangement areas in which the piezoelectric elements are to be arranged respectively; 
 a less-deposition area forming step of forming, on the supporting plate, less-deposition areas around the element-arrangement areas respectively; 
 a piezoelectric element forming step of forming the piezoelectric elements by depositing particles of the piezoelectric material more on the element-arrangement areas of the supporting plate than on the less-deposition areas, and 
 a joining step of joining the piezoelectric elements to the vibration plate, such that the piezoelectric elements are arranged between the supporting plate and the vibration plate, 
 wherein the less-deposition areas are configured such that an amount of the piezoelectric particles, per unit area, deposited directly onto the less-deposition areas is less than an amount of the piezoelectric particles, per unit area, deposited onto the element-arrangement areas. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of producing the piezoelectric actuator according to  claim 1 , wherein in the less-deposition area forming step, grooves or holes are formed in the supporting plate around the element-arrangement areas respectively. 
     
     
       3. The method of producing the piezoelectric actuator according to  claim 1 , wherein in the piezoelectric element forming step, the piezoelectric material is deposited on the supporting plate by an aerosol deposition method, a sputtering method, or a chemical deposition method. 
     
     
       4. The method of producing the piezoelectric actuator according to  claim 1 , wherein in the piezoelectric element forming step, each of the piezoelectric elements is formed on the supporting plate by alternately repeating steps of: forming a first electrode which is to be applied with a predetermined voltage, forming one piezoelectric layer by depositing the particles of the piezoelectric material, and forming a second electrode which is to be maintained at a common reference potential, such that each of the piezoelectric elements are stacked and include the one piezoelectric layer, between the first electrode and the second electrode. 
     
     
       5. The method of producing the piezoelectric actuator according to  claim 1 , wherein the piezoelectric element forming step includes a step of forming one piezoelectric layer by depositing the particles of the piezoelectric material on the supporting plate, and a step of forming a first electrode to which a predetermined drive voltage is to be applied; and
 the piezoelectric elements each including the one piezoelectric layer and the first electrode being formed on the supporting plate. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of producing the piezoelectric actuator according to  claim 1 , wherein in the piezoelectric element forming step, a thickness of the piezoelectric elements, each of which is formed on the element-arrangement areas, is greater than a thickness of the piezoelectric material formed on the less-deposition areas, respectively.